Among some staff at MSNBC, #TrumpMeltdownBriefings viewed as yet another proxy fight bw Phil Griffin & Andy Lack. Griffin favored airing but receptive to cutting away when “off the rails," Lack allegedly supports carrying them live. https://www.thedailybeast.com/this-is-absurd-cable-news-staffers-fume-as-networks-keep-airing-bonkers-trump-coronavirus-pressers?source=twitter&via=desktop via @thedailybeast
2/ "Top MSNBC hosts appealed directly to Griffin to argue against carrying briefings live. But network has contd to, often only cutting back to its anchors when Trump gets off-track—threshold increasingly diffic to determine, seeing as default posturing is constant meltdown"
3/ "“Why are we still playing this game?” MSNBC staffer fumed after Monday’s presser. “On the one hand, we have a duty to show the news, so we always just wait to see [what he says before cutting away]. But when has this ever been anything other than a reality television show?”
4/ "Over at CNN, concerns about carrying the task-force briefings have been loud and clear, but the network has also continued to air them. However, the cable outlet has attempted to push back on the president’s spiteful outbursts."
5/ "Cable insiders also cont to fear the prospect of booming viewership has given networks pause when considering whether to abandon manic, reality-TV-like briefings. A former network news exec said the pressers—much like Trump’s campaign rallies—had become a ratings boon..."
6/ ".... but said journalists they had spoken to were alarmed at audiences becoming “conditioned” to the nightly press conferences that have lasted for up to three hours."
7/ "Another cable-news insider admitted airing the briefings live had become problematic and expected internal discussions ... “The level of misinformation is disturbing and we need to make a decision how to handle this. [Monday] crossed a line.”
8/ My two cents: Stop airing them live. I won't watch.
Should news break, air it an hour later, or cut in. But airing his propaganda unfiltered is dangerous & journalistic malpractice.
Report news, fact check, air clips. CSPAN carries it live, that's plenty.
Should news break, air it an hour later, or cut in. But airing his propaganda unfiltered is dangerous & journalistic malpractice.
Report news, fact check, air clips. CSPAN carries it live, that's plenty.